When to Eat, Foods for Moods, Artificial Sweetener Concerns

February 2023

February

The Link Between our Food, Gut Microbiome, and Depression: An abundance of emerging research sheds light on how our diet and mood are related. Feeling a bit down? Anxious? Want to be happier? Adopt a gut-friendly diet. Increase the consumption of fibrous and fermented foods, and decrease sugar and refined carbs. Think vegetables, whole fruit, whole grains, beans, lentils and soy, nuts, seeds, and probiotic-containing foods like kimchi, live sauerkraut, and unsweetened yogurt. Also, don’t forget to exercise! (NY Times)

The Best 8 Foods for Your Mental Health: For overall health and improved mood, I encourage the consumption of all these foods several days a week, if not daily. My only suggestion is to not limit your vegetables to broccoli, your fruit to blueberries, or your whole grains to oats. Consuming a variety of unprocessed produce and whole grains is essential for optimal wellness. (Clean Plates)

It’s Not Just What You Eat, But The Time of Day You Eat It:

"This emerging field of research, known as chrono-nutrition, represents a paradigm shift in how nutrition researchers think about food and health. Instead of focusing solely on nutrients and calories, scientists are increasingly looking at meal timing and discovering that it can have striking effects on your weight, appetite, chronic disease risk, and your body’s ability to burn and store fat.” (Washington Post)

Warning Stroke: What It Is And Symptoms To Look For: "Among the people who have strokes, many also experience what is known as a warning stroke in the days, weeks or months beforehand.” This article details the fleeting symptoms that often precede a stroke that we often ignore. (Huffington Post)

Ultra-processed Foods may Increase Ovarian, Other Cancer Risks, Study: It’s not just cancer … studies have shown a link between ultra-processed foods and higher rates of obesity, hypertension, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes as well as a higher likelihood of early death in general. Might want to save the pizza, hot dogs, mac and cheese, baked goods, ice cream, candy, French fries, breakfast cereals, and sweetened beverages for special occasions! (Washington Post)

Sugar Substitutes: New Cardiovascular Concerns? "Artificial sweeteners were linked to a 9% higher risk of any type of cardiovascular problem (including heart attacks) and an 18% greater risk of stroke.” See which non-caloric sweeteners were the most problematic. (Harvard Health)

To Find Happiness, Try Talking to Strangers: Want to improve your happiness? Work on improving your social connection with family, friends, and even strangers! According to research, strong social bonds make people happier and feel more fulfilled than money or I.Q. do. By increasing your “social fitness,” you may very well become a happier, healthier person. Maybe this is why happiness plummeted during the pandemic. Humans are not meant to live in isolation! (NY Times)

Increasing Dairy Intake Reduces Risk for Falls, Fractures in Older Adults: Is it the increased dairy or the added protein that contributed to a reduced risk for falls and fractures in the elderly population? I’m guessing a little of both. After age 65, we need more protein than the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), and most of us, regardless of our age, do not get enough calcium in our diets. Low calcium consumption is known to contribute to frailty and weak bones. If consuming dairy, I encourage you to stick to unflavored, unsweetened varieties. Fermented (plain yogurt cottage cheese and cheese) are probably the healthiest. If you don’t care for dairy or don’t eat 2-3 servings a day, calcium supplements in conjunction with fortified plant milks, collard and other dark leafy greens, almonds, sesame seeds, and soy products will help you reach your daily needs. (Healio News)

Women Have Been Misled About Menopause: Ladies, this one is for you. Great piece on the benefits and potential risks of Hormone Replacement Therapy. Who can comfortably take it? Who should probably avoid it? Read on! (NY Times)

Mediterranean Spaghetti Squash Bowls and One-Pan Salmon with Lemony Rice & Yogurt Herb Sauce: The Mediterranean Diet once again topped the list of dietary patterns to follow for overall health. Here are 2 recipes that are easy to make, absolutely delicious, and include many foods found in a Mediterranean diet. The first recipe entails making your own pesto. To minimize the time in the kitchen, use store-bought pesto instead. To add additional protein to your spaghetti bowl, top it with hard-boiled eggs or baked tofu. (Cookie & Kate, Craving Something Healthy)

About Jean Varney

Jean Varney is the founder and president of Eat Right, Be Fit, Live Well LLC, a health and nutrition consulting firm committed to empowering men and women to improve their health through sustainable changes to their diet and lifestyle. Based in the Washington DC metropolitan area, Jean coaches clients nationwide by phone and in person. She focuses on helping individuals make smart choices about the foods they eat in order to maintain high energy levels, avoid unwanted weight gain and decrease their risk of heart disease, cancer, type II diabetes and other chronic illnesses. Jean received her training at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City. To learn more about her practice, please visit her website at: www.EatRightBeFitLiveWell.com.